Biden's son deploys to Iraq

[noodles]

Originally Posted by HAUCH

Politics is the lifeblood of the military. Admiral (name I wont mention on a government computer.) was the king bee of the NCF during my battallion tenure. And his son, Ltjg (name I wont mention on a government computer.)was in my command. I went to parties and would see this guy fraternizing with alot of us, showing up late and drunk, and smoking weed for fucks sake. Nothing ever happened to the guy. He was fucking untouchable because his daddy was an admiral for Pac Fleet.

Now imagine the kind of luxeries the son of the Vice president will enjoy. It's just the nature of things.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm just saying it doesn't always happen. John McCain's father was a four star Admiral, and that didn't stop McCain from spending several years as a POW.

[HAUCH]

Originally Posted by noodles

I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm just saying it doesn't always happen. John McCain's father was a four star Admiral, and that didn't stop McCain from spending several years as a POW.

John McCain is no better. He went straight to the academy and came out an Ensign. The guy never scrubbed a shitter, picked up trash, or dug a ditch. He boasted about his POW days all too often, (Im not disregarding the fact that it was horrible) but he wasnt sweating out over there because he loved America...He was sweating it out because if he dishonored his father and uncle, the would fucking kill him.

The whole officer community is a fucking joke, OCS is just a grooming for a certain political career. Which sadly, has spread to the Chiefs community as well. The CMC is no longer the "senior enlisted advisor", he's a fucking politician. It longer matters how competant you are, or how well you do your job. Its all about how many fundraisers you did, how many highway cleanups you organized, blood you donated, etc.

I know that I sound completely cynical, but its just the way it is, man. I get the feeling that most of you guys are really educated and have a degree of some sort...And could easily debate circles around me, and most of the people I know. I plan on going back to school when I get out, but the military is the school of hard knocks. I have a degree in resilience with a minor in misery.

[noodles]

Honestly, how has it ever been any different? Eisenhower was made Supreme Commander because of political connections, not because he was the best soldier for the job. Ike, Bradley, and Patton fed untrained, unprepared replacements to the meat grinder on the front line of the Bulge, not because they had no choice, but because "everything is expendable in war" (Ike's words).

Keep going back, and you have generals who were put there because their father was a royal or noble, not because of qualifications. War has always been made by the poor for the will of the rich.

Sop, bitch in that regard if you want, but don't just assume that someone gets a cushy job because of dad. It is not always that way, even if it often is. In modern times, if the children of privilege pull the name card, it is to stay back home, a la George W Bush.

I have to give respect to Prince Harry, since he quietly joined the military and served on the front line. He was pulled off not because he wanted to, but because his superiors determined that the undue attention, given to him by the press, were endangering the lives of his fellow soldiers.

[HAUCH]

So, you agree with me, kinda.

And I guess Biden's son deserves the benefit of the doubt. It still irks the fuck out of me when guys like Pat Tillman and other mentionables get a all kinds of press for being heroes...And Beau Biden's deployment will be well chronicled as well, even if he doesnt get killed over there. He'll be praised for doing a tour, when hundreds of thousands of service men and women, coming from meager beginnings...have done that, and then some.

[noodles]

Well, the Tillman family was lied to about what really happened, for a long time, and have become outspoken critics of the war and this administration. It's not exactly the best example, you know?

Going back to the Prince Harry case, I often fault the media for stuff like this. I'm sure Beau wasn't asking for the publicity, but what is he going to do? His dad is the next Vice President. He is probably just another soldier looking to do his job, since a guy like him could have easily ridden his name to a seat in the House or Senate. Biden is extremely well loved in Delaware, yet his son went into the military.

We don't have a draft right now, so it is kinda hard to see the privileged skirting duty when no one is being forced to go by law. If anything, be mad at the media for making such a big deal over it, and the administration for ruining the economy and targeting the poor with recruiting drives.